How cheap can you built a Turbo miata
 

How cheap do you think i could construct a turbo miata for? With all the DIY kits and the Greddys (not to mentioion the pricey FMs), to buy a miata and turbo it, how much would it be?

The HP target range would be aroun 215-230.

There's a saying; fast, cheap, reliable. pick two.

With that said, you could probably theoretically buy a POS miata for $1000 and turbo it with junkyard/chinese ebay parts for another $1000, maybe less, especially if you're a machinist or welder.

what happens if i am an 18 year old who is afraid of disconnecting the battery because of a possible shock

btw SamS, where did you get your license plate for your motorcycle

Then you need to start saving up. I turbo'd mine last year at 18. I currently have about $10k in it, including the car itself.

My motorcycle license plate? From the DMV. Unless you're talking about that pic of the darkening plate holder, that's not my bike, and I forget where i found those pics.

My advice:

1)Buy an old miata with a hardtop (some sell for less than $2K)
2)Sell the hardtop ($600-$800)
3)Do a complete tune up (Replace PCV, fuel filter, all fluids, plugs, belts,etc.) (~300)
4)Buy a used greddy kit (make sure it's complete!) (~800)
5)Join a local miata club
6)Sponsor an unofficial tech day to install your turbo (cost of beer and pizza)
7)Enjoy!

To hit 215/230
8)used E-manage blue (~250-300)
9)Supra injectors (~$80)
10)Devil's own WI or used IC system(or both!) (~$200-300)
11)New clutch (~200-300)
12)New Fuel pump 190 HP (~120)

If you have apprehensions about muddling about with your car, but you're convinced you need a turbo, then a used GReddy is a decent choice. But don't get the impression that once installed it is turn-key.

You must live in California :gay:
Everywhere else a beater with no top can go for $2,000-2,500

Or put another way, I will purchase *every* miata priced at $2k or less that comes with a hardtop. Send em over!

This is like asking "How much is lunch?". You could score a used Miata for as little as $2k for an old NA or as much as $20k for a newish NB. The turbo bolt ons could cost anywhere from $500 if you're doing an all junkyard parts build to $5-7k or more if buying retail.

Like Sam, my $4k miata has a total of $10k or more in it.

I don't think this is the right forum to ask "how cheap"- believe it or not there's too much inegrity here among these members. :gay: Seriously. Wanna see how cheap turbo setups can be built for it, visit homemadeturbo.com- it's cheap, raunchy and chock full of info. I know there's a few here that can vouge for that.

dude i tried to take the cheap route... its soo not WORTH it. Do it once and do it right. So whenever you go WOT you know for sure you arent gonna see a rod and piston fly out.

Well-sorted long-nose 1.6: $3k
Maintenance (fluids, oil change, shift boots, any necesary o-rings or gaskets, all the hoses, etc.): $500
Decent tires on stock wheels: $400
Koni Sports with eBay coilovers: $700
Alignment: $100
Brake pads, rotors, and fluid: $300
Used GReddy: $800

I'd assume a minimum of about $6-7k to do it right. I'm 18 and I've got 10k in my car, and it's still not turboed. I expect to have just under $14k into it once it's done, but it will be a finished, well-sorted machine capable of taking whatever I can dish out.

Search EVERYWHERE you can for used Greddy kits. I got a complete kit, bowser heatsheild, 1.8 injectors, Emanage blue with Autotune for $950.

If you want to hit 215-230 hp you will spend quite a bit. Try out 5psi, you'd be suprised at how quick it is.

My guess for a real world estimate of the absolute cheapest route (the kind where the car will blow up 3 months after you built it..) $3,000 to get it "running"....but I don't think it would be worth it.

EDIT: I mean $3,000 INCLUDING the car, sorry for not being clear.

Magnamx-5 has a decently cheap setup. He's a good one to talk to about getting results without coughing up too much bloody dough.

Myself, I got an insane deal for my car from a friend last January ($1k) and I've done about $500 worth of maintenance (timing belt/water pump/tensioners, t-stat/rad cap, hoses, gaskets, belts, cat, filters, plugs, etc) plus $300 tires (T1-S). I've bought most of my turbo bits, and it looks like it will come in at ~$1300. Tack on $200 for a wideband in the nearish future. So I'm looking at $3300 for a decent turbo Miata. But it's not actually done yet, so who knows how much I'll have to spend getting it all working. I expect more than I've budgeted, but it isn't my DD, so who cares when it gets done!

Hey, to each his own.

buying everything used, you could probably get close to your goals for under $1800.

thanks Ben. :D :ughug:
my turbo sytem for 200-220whp cost about 1600 dollars with no welding or electronics needed. i have given a run down several times but sadly i am now hemoraging cash into my car to hit 300 some odd whp.MS built motor 1.8 diff swap so my status of cheap boost is no longer as valid i am still under the price of a FM2 though. and hope to stay under that cost. So we shall see.
Jahunis also has the same type system i run except he runs a FMIC and EMB i believe.

Noob speak no more blasphemy. :gay:

That's what I was thinking! I was like 3,000! for that kind of DIY you might as well go talk to FM or Corky Bell

My system isn't finished yet, but I'm still well under the 1,000 dollar mark. All I've got left at this point is a good T25 and an intercooler, BOV optional (and can be picked up ebay cheap for like 15 dollars) At this point though I'm pretty sure i'll need some exhaust work so I expect to run it open DP to a shop then pay em like 60 bucks to get it to the cat.

I should be picking up welding soon though ^_^

The intercooler is an expensive part of the puzzle. Well, not so much the intercooler itself (go ebay) but the couplers and piping isn't cheap. I'm in the process of working mine out now. Price out some couplers...yikes

+1.

Couplers? Talk to Wideopen...

Probably the best way to go would be the purchase of an already turbo charged Miata. Let someone else spend all the money up front.